Flashlight for handbags



Jan. 16, 1951 J. J. GRASAK FLASHLIGHT FOR HANDBAGS INVEN TOR.

u'ohn d Grasak Filed Feb. 20, 1948 A T TORNEYS Patented Jan. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES RATENT OFFICE 'FLASHLIGHT FOR HANDBAGS John J. Grasak, McKeesporhPa.

Application February 20, 1948, Serial No. 9,915

.1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a portable flashlight for handbags.

An object of the invention is the provision of a portable flashlight which is particularly adapted to be used in handbags but which may be readily removed for illuminating a keyhole or other objects when desired, a simple and efi'icient means being employed for supporting the flashlight above the bottom of the handbag for not only illuminating the interior of the bag but for retaining said flashlight in a position so that it will not interfere with the selection of objects from the bag.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a holder for a flashlight in a handbag that will not only retain the flashlight in a convenient position in a handbag above the bottom thereof so that the articles housed in said bag will be illuminated but will provide a means for carrying the flashlight for illuminating other articles located externally of the bag, said sup port including adjustable legs for varying the height of the support so that it may be fitted readily into bags of different dimensions.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a handba showing my improved flashlight placed in the bag,

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in perspective of the flashlight removed from the handbags disclosing an adjustable support for the flashlight,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary end view in elevation of a clip on a leg of the support, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section of the flashlight per se.

Referring more particularly to the drawings I designates a handbag having hinged frame members II and I2 forming a suitable closure and an entrance. The members are attached to the usual cloth, leather, or other materials constituting the body of the bag. The bottom l3 of the bag may be broad or narrow, but in either case it will provide a means upon which a support or frame for a flashlight will rest.

A flashlight generally designated by the numeral l5 includes an elongated housing l6 having one end I! closed. The other end is open but is closed normally by a cap l8 threaded onto the open end. The housing contains two small batteries l9 and 20 so arranged that they will 2 be in series. The housing may be formed of any well-known plastic.

An insulating casing 2| has a closed end 22 carrying a contact 23 to which is connected a conductor 24 having a free end 25 located in a pocket 26 of the housing. The electrode 21 of the battery I9 is in engagement with the contact 23. The batteries are covered normally with .a sleeve formed of paper so that the conductor 24 will not be short-circuited.

The battery 20 has one electrode 30 in engagement with the bottom of the battery IS. A coil spring 3| bears against the bottom of the battery 20 and against a contact 32 in the cap l8. A conductor 33 extends from said contact to the inner end of a lamp socket formed on a boss 34 on the housing It below the electrode 30. A threaded metal sleeve 35 receives the threaded base of an electric lamp 36. A conductor 31 extends from the sleeve 35 around the casing 2| and terminates in a contact 38 in the pocket 26. The circuit between the two points of contact with the lamp 36 is therefore completed through the batteries, the contact 32, spring 3 I, conductor 33 at one side of the electrode 30, and the conductors 24 and 31 and switch elements 25-38 at the other side of said electrode.

A switch-closing means is associated with the pocket 26 and includes a rod 40 on which a slide 4| is mounted for reciprocation. A finger piece 42 is located externally of the pocket and. attached to the projecting end of the slide. The pocket has a slot 43 through which the slide moves for forcing the contact 38 against the free end 25 of the conductor 24 for closing the circuit including the batteries and the lamp 36.

A support for the housing i6 is in the form of a U-shaped member 45 which has a bight portion 46 and inturned legs 41 received by tubes 48. A U-shaped spring clip 49 is secured to the upper end of one tube while the other tube carries a U-shaped spring clip 5|]. The clip 49 is disposed adjacent the cap l8 on the housing It. The other clip 50 has a lug 5| received by an annular groove 52 in the housing IS.

A reflector 53 may be employed for directing light rays from the lamp 36 downwardly into the open hand bag Iii." The lamp when screwed into place in the socket 35 retains the reflector in a fixed position.

The support carrying the flashlight is placed in the hand-bag with the bight portion 46 of the U-shaped member 45 resting on the bottom l3 of the bag. When the owner desires to locate an article in the bag the member 42 is shifted 8 so that the slide M will close the switch consisting of the elements 25 and 38. The lamp 26 will then illuminate the interior of the bag.

The bight portion is not secured to the bag so that the flashlight may be removed readily therefrom. The flashlight and support may be removed from the bag when it is desired to locate a key hole or other articles disposed exteriorly of the bag.

The U-shaped member 45 is made of spring materials and the legs tend to move outwardly from the positions shown in Figure 2. Thus, said legs will be in frictional engagement with the internal walls of the tubes 48. The legs are movable into or outwardly from the tubes-so that the support may be adjusted to accommo- I date handbags of various sizes. The resiliency of the legs 91 will cause said legs to bind slightly in the tubes 48 so that when an adjustment has been made, the legs will not slip in the tubes.

The housing 15 may be drawn easily from the clips 49 and 50 when desired.

What I claim:

Means for supporting a flashlight in a handbag comprising an elongated, U-shaped member of resilient material having a substantially straight bight portion adapted to rest on the bottom of a handbag and converging legs projecting from respectively opposite ends of said bight portion,

and a flashlight engaging means carried by each leg of said U-shaped member, each of said flashlight engaging means comprising a tubular socket telescopically receiving the associated leg of the U-shaped member at the outer end of such leg, and a spring clip secured to one end of said socket and shaped to embracingly receive a flashlight housing.

JOHN J. GRASAK.

REFERENCES CITED I The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,285,018 Bryant Nov. 19, 1918 1,583,596 Lacklen May 4, 1926 1,821,305 Hauenstein Sept. 1, 1931 2,042,385 Boring May 26, 1936 2,187,308 Fuss Jan. 16, 1940 2,285,454 Moss June 9, 1942 2,299,148 Johnson Oct. 20, 1942 2,434,440 Schafranek Jan. 13, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 812,523 France Feb. 1, 1937 

